503.11:DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

The District supports creating an orderly educational environment for students. Classroom teachers have authority to remove students from the classroom who cause violent or nonviolent disruptions to instruction, however this authority is not absolute. Students who are removed from the classroom must be afforded due process that is consistent with applicable laws and board policy.

Discipline will be administered consistent with law and board policy and accompanying regulations. Removal and discipline of students with disabilities will comply with the provisions of applicable federal and state laws.

Each teacher providing instruction to a student with a plan under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act shall review the plan and provide written confirmation of that review to the student’s special education teacher.

The district will also ensure that at least one paraeducator or other employee who assists a teacher in providing classroom instruction to the student attends meetings related to the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan.

All members of a student’s IEP team will be provided training on the least restrictive environment requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. Teachers who become injured due to a student’s violent disruption occurring in the performance of the teacher’s work duties shall be granted a leave of absence for physical recovery no more than three (3) days with full pay. If the teacher requests additional physical recovery time, the school board will consider the request if accompanied by a note from a physician indicating a need for longer absence. It is within the discretion of the school board to grant or deny such requests.

Upon the request of a teacher as defined by Iowa Code 256.145, the principal will ensure that a mental health professional, guidance counselor, or behavioral interventionist is made available to students, teachers, and other school employees to address immediate trauma arising from a violent or nonviolent disruption. Students less than the age of 18 must have consent from a parent or guardian in order to receive mental health services unless they are an emancipated minor.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference: 20 U.S.C. §1232g

20 U.S.C. § 1400

42 U.S.C. § 12101

Iowa Code §§ 279.8, 279.65B, 279.89, 279.90

NOTE: This policy and accompanying regulations are mandatory.

NOTE: Extended removals may raise additional concerns. School districts should carefully consider how removals might implicate other rules, policies, or legal requirements (e.g. in school suspensions).

NOTE: 279.65B(4) requires that each attendance center within the school district creates an oversight review committee that is responsible for developing a policy that establishes when a student who has been removed from the classroom for nonviolent disruptive reasons be readmitted to the classroom. The committee must consist of:

2 teachers who work at the attendance and are selected by fellow teachers at the attendance center ;
1 administrative employee, mental health professional, or behavioral interventionist of the attendance center and selected by the principal of the attendance center .

Adopted: 7/15/26 Reviewed: Revised:

cjenness@e-hawks.org Thu, 07/16/2026 - 09:06

503.11R1: DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR - REMOVAL PROCESS

Nonviolent Disruption

A nonviolent disruption is defined as a disruption to classroom instruction that results from disorderly conduct, abusive or profane language, bullying as defined by Iowa Code 280.28, or repeatedly disruptive behavior. If the disruption is a nonviolent disruption, a teacher may remove the student from the classroom and place the student under the supervision of the principal or the principal’s designee for at least 30 minutes. A teacher may appeal to the school board a principal’s decision not to remove a student for nonviolent disruptive behavior, as well as a decision to return the student to the classroom too soon.

A student enrolled in kindergarten through grade five cannot be readmitted into the teacher’s classroom until the principal or principal designee and the teacher meet to discuss the readmission of the student.

A student enrolled in grades six through twelve cannot be readmitted into the teacher’s classroom until the principal or the principal designee and the teacher meet to discuss readmission. Even so, the student is not allowed to be re-admitted to the teacher’s classroom until the immediate subsequent school day at the earliest.

Should there be disciplinary action taken against the student, the principal or the principal’s designee will inform the teacher of the actions taken as soon as reasonably possible after the student’s removal.

Students who have been removed from class will be provided alternative learning arrangements and must make up any work that the student missed while under alternative supervision.

Multiple Nonviolent Disruption Removals

Should a student be removed from a teacher’s classroom more than once, the teacher(s) who removed the student, the principal, the guidance counselor, the student’s parent/legal guardian (if the student is not an emancipated minor), and the student must participate in a meeting to discuss the student’s nonviolent disruptions, establish a behavior plan, and a course of discipline. Considerations may include relocating the student to an alternative learning environment, including a therapeutic classroom when appropriate.

Violent Disruption

A violent disruption is defined as a disruption to classroom instruction that results from a threat of violence or an incident of violence resulting in injury, property damage, or assault as defined in Iowa Code 708.1. If the disruption is a violent disruption, the teacher must remove the student from the classroom and place the student under the supervision of the principal or the principal’s designee.

A student enrolled in kindergarten through grade five cannot be re-admitted into the teacher’s classroom until the principal or principal designee and the teacher meet to discuss the readmission of the student.

A student enrolled in grades six through twelve cannot be readmitted into the teacher’s classroom until the principal or the principal designee and the teacher meet to discuss readmission. The student is not allowed to be re-admitted to the teacher’s classroom until the immediate subsequent school day at the earliest.

A student cannot be re-admitted to a teacher’s classroom if all the following criteria are met:

The student was removed due to an assault on the teacher, and
The teacher does not consent to allowing the student to return to the teacher’s classroom.

Should there be a determination of disciplinary action, the principal will take the disciplinary action and notify the parent or guardian of the student in writing, and if possible, through electronic notice.

The principal must impose the maximum disciplinary action allowed under district policy when a student’s conduct, statements, or other actions:

are severe or pervasive; and
result in a request from the teacher for maximum disciplinary consequences.

Multiple Violent Disruption Removals

If a student is removed from a teacher’s classroom two or more times in a [insert academic term measurement: semester, or the trimester or quarter], then the principal will discipline the student in any of the following manners:

Assigning the student to either in-school or out-of-school suspension; or
Recommend to the superintendent the student be relocated in an alternative learning environment that has been approved by the superintendent.
Removal and discipline of students with disabilities under any of these categories must comply with the provisions of applicable federal and state law.

NOTE: In-school suspension can at times still be considered a “removal” to trigger the ten cumulative days for manifestation determination reviews.

cjenness@e-hawks.org Thu, 07/16/2026 - 09:07

503.11R2: DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR - REMOVAL PROCEDURES FOR NONVIOLENT BEHAVIOR FOR STUDENTS WITH IEP

Should a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) be removed from the classroom due to nonviolent disruptive behavior, an IEP team meeting will take place immediately subsequent to the removal of the student from the classroom. The meeting participants should additionally include the following individuals if practicable:

Teacher who removed the student from the classroom;
Any teacher who provides classroom instruction to the student;
Any other employee of the school district who was directly involved in the student’s conduct.

If a teacher or district employee listed above cannot attend the IEP meeting, they must review the IEP team’s minutes or summary of the meeting and provide written confirmation to the team that they have done so.

The IEP Team must discuss the following during the meeting:

The appropriateness of the student’s current educational programming.
Whether adjustments need to be made to the student’s IEP to address the student’s behaviors.
The student’s current placement and whether an alternative learning environment would best provide the student with a free appropriate public education.
The accommodations, modifications, and adaptations required to allow the student’s success in a general education setting; the supports needed by teachers and other school employees to provide the above-listed services; and whether the school district has the capacity to provide such supports and services.
 Whether and to what extent the provision of special education services and activities in the general education environment will impact the student and the other students in the classroom.

If a student is removed from the classroom five (5) or more times within a fifteen (15) consecutive school day period, then the students' IEP team will meet to discuss the student’s behavior.

A teacher has the authority to request a meeting of the student’s IEP team at any time by submitting an electronic or written request to the building principal. The request may be denied, in writing, with a description of why applicable laws do not require the meeting of the student’s IEP team.

cjenness@e-hawks.org Thu, 07/16/2026 - 09:17